N. Galante, Teacher And Author

Nancy Navarre Galante, an author and 26-year veteran of the Broward County School District, died on Friday after a three-year battle with cancer. She was 60.

Mrs. Galante taught at three area schools - Hollywood Park Elementary, Nova Blanche Forman Elementary and Sawgrass Elementary. For nine years she was out of the classroom, serving as a social studies resource coordinator and as coordinator of the Achievement through Instruction and Motivation program.

Mrs. Galante was the author of Exploring Florida, an activity text for students, and Thinking Skills, a handbook for educators. She co-wrote educational software and also wrote a number of articles published in education journals.

She received her bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and her master's degree from the University of Michigan.

Her daughter Lori Strauss described her mother as a hard-working person who put four of her six kids through college. Strauss said Mrs. Galante thought her greatest accomplishment was her six children.

Strauss said her mother would often take in her brothers' and sisters' friends who had nowhere else to go.

"She didn't mind, even though she had six kids of her own," Strauss said. "There's not many times that there's someone in your life like that."

Mrs. Galante is survived by her husband of 40 years, Nicholas, and their six children: Greg, Nick, Angela Leon, Marty, Lisa Engert and Lori Strauss, all of Fort Lauderdale. She also leaves six brothers and sisters and 11 grandchildren.

A wake for Mrs. Galante will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the T.M. Ralph Plantation Funeral Home, 7001 NW Fourth St., Plantation. A funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. David Catholic Church, 3900 S. University Drive, Davie.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice Care of Broward County, Inc.